Spelman students took a paws from academic stress on Wednesday, November 20 at noon in the amphitheater at the Paws Atlanta event hosted by the Spelman Student Government Association (SSGA) and the Junior Class Council (JCC) as a part of Recognized Student organization (RSO) week. With five puppies in attendance, roughly 200 students stopped by in the hour to pet them in order to acquire emotional support.
“I grew up with dogs, so I’ve always known that they can boost your mental health in various ways,” SSGA vice president Cori’Anna White said. “This is finals season and a lot of girls are either taking exams or getting ready to take exams, so I just wanted to provide students with an outlet.”
These student-led organizations also set up a table at the event for students to grab a piece of candy and pick up an affirmation to guide them through this stress inducing week. The affirmations, along with the dogs, reminded students that they are capable, loved and that they matter.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the puppy event as a break within my busy day, it was a great way to relieve stress before a big test,” junior Zora Neal Walton said.
Furthermore, students attained volunteer and pet adoption opportunities when networking with Paws Atlanta representatives at the event. The non-profit organization aims to prevent animal cruelty through animal shelter and advocacy. The puppies too benefited from this occasion, as the students showered them with love and care.
“The puppy therapy event was a much needed break from classes. The puppies were so sweet and adorable and they put a smile on everyone’s face,” junior Madison Conyers said.
Following the substantial student turnout, White expressed her desire for SSGA to partner with Paws Atlanta once more.
“We often focus on academics and extracurriculars, but we don’t take the time to focus on ourselves. This event was just for everyone to enjoy the small things in life, like animals,” White said.
